PRIME MINISTER 94/ 93
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE MON P. J. KEATING, MP
TIMETABLE ON MABO LEGISLATION
Today I am meeting with representatives of the mining
industry and with the Council for Aboriginal
Reconciliation, and tomorrow I will meet with
representatives of the group which earlier this month
gathered at Eva Valley.
The purpose of these meetings is to continue discussions
of the Mabo issue anld to provide details of the Federal
Government's consultative and legislative timetable.
The plan we announced last year is on schedule. To
provide the certainty the country needs, passage of
legislation is required in these Budget sittings.
The steps in the lead-up to the introduction of final
legislation are:
The Ministerial Committee on Mabo is at present
working intensively on a document which outlines the
proposed legislation and this will be released
publicly within the next two weeks.
With the document's release, the Government will
invite comment and further talks will be held with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
representatives, State and Territory governments and
industry.
By mid-September work on drafting the Bill will be
in top gear.
The Government will make every endeavour to have the
Bill in the House by 1 October.
In introducing the legislation by this date the
Government will be meeting its original deadline. On an
issue of this magniLude some groups may wish for more
time for consultation, but the artificial deadlines now
applying in the Parliament close off this option.
It is worth noting that the outline of legislation has
been the subject of thorough discussions between
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2
officials from the Commonwealth and the States and
Territories, and in the next couple of weeks I expect to
have the opportunity to speak to Premiers and Chief
Ministers. I will be in a position to say more about the
Government's thinking on the broader aspects of Mabo when
the legislation is introduced.
we are continuing to work on ideas which will meet the
twin goals which Mabo set us from the start delivering
economic security to investors and holders of existing
land title, and to Aboriginals and Torres Strait
Islanders an unprecdented measure of historic justice.
Mabo has been the subject of extensive discussion in
Australia for more than a year. It has been the cause of
both genuine concern and anxiety and some misinformed and
inflammatory comment.
But the majority of Australians and majority of
interested groups have sought an outcome which is
practicable and just and one which will take us much
further than any previous step has taken us towards
solving a 200 year old problem.
That is what the Government will do everything in its
power to deliver.
CANBERRA, 24 AUGUST 1993